Title: Little Birdie
Disclaimer:
I do not own SVU or these characters (darn it!) nor am I making any money off them (darn it!). No infringement intended.
Fandom:
Law and Order: SVU
Pairing:
Alex/Olivia
Rating:
M
Summary:
Alex had a bad day. Olivia makes her a bath. And makes it all better.
Notes:
Mature Audiences Only, Please

Little Birdie


God, what a day. What a horrible terrible day.

Lost two motion hearings—to Langan of all people—; got reamed by a judge and then her boss; bumped her notepad off the shelf in the bathroom stall and into the toilet when she spun to look at how bad a run in her panty hose was; accidentally texted "Ugh" to Arthur Branch instead of Abbie Charmichael; her feet were killing her like nobody's business; and to top it all off, she forgot to take her umbrella to work that morning, an oversight which hadn't done any harm all day...except and until the last 40 feet home that evening when the sky, of course, decided to completely opened up.

Ugh.

Yeah, that's right, Arthur Branch. Ugh.

When the elevator doors opened on her floor, Alex was happy, at least, that the hallway was deserted and that no one was left in the elevator with her as that allowed her to immediately kick off her shoes—literally—flinging them off her feet and down the hall with a flick of each ankle. Then, exhausted, weary, annoyed, soaking wet, and wearing just pantyhose (pantyhose with a run in them no less!) on her feet, she stepped off the elevator and trudged down the hall.

Half way down it, she bent to retrieve her discarded shoes, her briefcase strap sliding off her shoulder in the process. But not caring enough to hoist it back up, she simply straightened and dragged herself and her belongings the ten more steps required to reach her front door. And when she finally got there she reached out her hand, holding her breath as she tried the handle.

Then, when the knob turned under her hand, she exhaled a quiet sigh of relief. For the door being unlocked could only mean one thing: Olivia was already home.

Thank god for small favors.

It's not like she expected Olivia would do anything special for her, she really didn't – for Alex hadn't talked to or communicated with the detective since early that morning so there was no way for Olivia to know the kind of day the attorney had had – but Alex knew that just having Olivia there, just seeing her face, just being enveloped in one of her strong embraces, just that, would help.

So with these comforts to look forward to, Alex opened the door and stepped inside. And when she did, she was greeted by the sight she had hoped for: Olivia.

The detective was just coming out from the kitchen, shirt only partially tucked into her belted jeans, white socks covering her feet, hair just a little unruly, face clear of makeup, wiping her hands on a small towel. God, what a sight sore eyes. And Alex knew that her face showed just how thankful she was for that sight.

Of course, it also showed just how downtrodden she was feeling. And as such, while Olivia might have been a sight for sore eyes, Alex was just plain quite a sight. In fact, the detective took just one look at her fantastically disheveled girlfriend and had to work hard not to laugh. She had been forewarned that Alex had had a pretty craptastic day, had been told of the mood and condition the attorney might be in when she showed up at home, but, good god. Alex looked so much more pathetic than Olivia had ever imagined or seen, what with her coat still dripping copious rainwater on the floor, with her mascara starting to run, her shoes dangling from one hand, her hair all flat and completely matted, and her briefcase hanging limply off her forearm. Yes, 'pathetic' was the right word. Just plain pathetic.

And yet so adorable.

So while it was all somewhat amusing, it also made Olivia's heart clench just a little. "Oh, sweetie," she said tenderly and sympathetically, "I was afraid you might get caught in that downpour." The detective picked up the bath towel she had put on the entry table just minutes before and silently offered it to Alex.

"Yeah," Alex said flatly in response to Olivia's statement as she took a moment to unceremoniously dump everything on the entryway floor and gingerly take off her jacket before reaching out and taking the towel from Olivia. "And what a fitting end to my day," she finished dejectedly as she brought the towel up and buried her face in it.

Yep, so pathetic and adorable.

Olivia knew that words weren't going to comfort Alex right now so she said nothing except a quiet, "Come here," as she took the blonde into her arms and gave her a tight hug, just as Alex had hoped and wanted and so she collapsed into it. Drawing both physical warmth and emotional comfort from it, letting her upper body slump, fully exhaling, and even with her face still buried in the towel, laying her forehead on Olivia's shoulder, she let herself get lost in the embrace.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, a full minute or perhaps two, before Olivia spoke, voice squiet, tender, giving, "Dinner's in the oven and will be ready in about 20 or 30 minutes. But, in the mean time," Olivia ran her hands down Alex's wet hair, "I thought you might like a soak. I've put everything out in the bathroom for you and drawn you a bath," Olivia pulled slightly out of the hug so she could look at Alex, giving her a caring smile, "Why don't you go take a load off and try to relax and recoup a little before dinner?"

Now, Alex was not at all opposed to Olivia's suggestion. The idea of taking a warm bath before being served a home cooked meal sounded wonderful. Actually, it sounded more than wonderful. Hell, it sounded perfect. However, she was a little...confused, perhaps, or at least a little curious. Why would Olivia choose tonight of all nights to prepare such a homecoming. Because, again, she hadn't spoken to Olivia since they'd parted that morning; hadn't told her of her day; hadn't related any of her trials or tribulations. So, again, how would Olivia know she'd be in such desperate need of this kind of TLC?

A slight frown that spoke of the attorney's confusion/curiosity formed above Alex's eyes, and she had to ask. "All this because I got caught in that downpour?"

Olivia looked down a little shyly, knowing she'd been caught, then brought her eyes back up. "Well that," she leaned in and gave Alex a light kiss before finishing her small confession, "But also because a little birdie might have called me today and told me you weren't having a very good day. To say the least."

Alex's eyebrows went up. There weren't all that many people who knew the extent of her day and even fewer who would both know and have the gumption to call Olivia and tell her about it. So she had her suspicions, strong suspicions, as to the identity of Olivia's informant, but still, she again had to ask. "And just who might this little birdie be?"

Olivia smiled coyly and moved a clump of wet hair off Alex's forehead, "It's a secret. A reporter isn't supposed to reveal their sources, after all. Nor can they be compelled to," Olivia tacked on for good measure.
Alex pulled her upper body back from Olivia a little more so she could pin the detective with a dry look, but she knew that, despite herself, amusement was also creeping into her eyes as she replied flatly, "You're not a reporter."

"Oh," Olivia said, feigning as though that were news to her. "Well then how about the birdie's identity is protected by attorney-client privilege?" she quickly bantered back.

"So now you're claiming to be an attorney?" Alex cocked an inquisitive eyebrow, "Or perhaps you're saying that the little birdie is an attorney?"

"Uh..." Olivia moved right along, Alex was far too clever for her own good sometimes, "I meant, um, I meant the little birdie's identity is protected communication between a priest and penitent," Olivia grinned, "Yeah, that's what I meant."

Alex finally laughed at that, amazed that she was capable of laughter after her day, amazed at how quickly the detective was able to draw such laughter and lightheartedness from her, and faced with Olivia's expression and obvious playfulness, she was powerless to do anything but continue to play along, responding through a smile of her own, "And so now you're a priest, huh?" It was Alex's turn to lean in and give her lover a quick kiss before finishing her thought teasingly, "I'm sorry, babe, but I really don't think so."

Olivia also chuckled, absolutely delighted that Alex was not only playing along but that she seemed to have already started to relax and let go of some of her day. However, though it was a good start, Olivia intended for the attorney to become far more relaxed and to more thoroughly let go before this evening was through. "Oh, I don't know," the detective's smile turned sly and her voice silky, as her eyes twinkled into Alex's, "You seem to call out 'oh god' fairly often in my presence."

Alex rolled her eyes dramatically, though she knew a slight flush and warmth was inevitably creeping up her neck, not to mention other parts of her body, at Olivia's words. "Ha ha ha," she responded again as dryly and unamusedly as she could to Olivia's obvious insinuations, but in reality she knew, they both knew, that Olivia's presence and touch and humor and allusions were having the intended and desired effect.

However it wasn't yet time for that. So Olivia leaned in and gave Alex another quick kiss through her smile. But then pulled her body back and stepped aside, dropping her arms from around the blonde, and grasping one of Alex's hands in her own, leading the attorney down the short hall to the bathroom.

And if the earlier banter hadn't already started to relax the attorney, the scene in the bathroom certainly would have. The tub was half full, big fluffy bubbles floated serenely on top, a subtle but pleasant scent permeated the air indicating that at least several drops of Alex's favorite oil had also been added to the mix, and the only light in the room was provided by the numerous flickering candles scattered about.

Upon entering the room, Olivia silently let go of Alex's hand so she could lean over and turn on the tap, letting the water flow freely and fill the tub the rest of the way with fresh heat. And as it did she turned back to Alex with a soft smile, "Why don't I help you get undressed while that warms up?"

Alex, still feeling their earlier playfulness, arched an eyebrow at Olivia's offer to undress her, "Are you sure you don't have some ulterior motive for all this niceness?"

Olivia's smile just broadened as she reached for Alex's rain-dampened shirt and slowly started undoing each button starting with the top one, "I swear, it's all purely altruistic. All I'm trying to do is help you relax and forget your day." Olivia finished the last button and slowly pushed the garment back and off of Alex, leaning in to kiss a newly bared shoulder in the process, an action which, despite Olivia's words shifted the mood in the room minutely but perceptibly. Olivia then reached behind Alex and undid the clasp holding the blonde's bra closed before bringing her arms forward again, drawing the twin straps down Alex's arms and finally off, leaving Alex topless.

Alex couldn't help but smile then when Olivia paused, the detective momentarily caught unconsciously but obviously ogling the attorney's breasts. Alex allowed Olivia to gape for several seconds before clearing her throat to get the detective's attention back. The attorney smirked, "Purely altruistic, huh?" she lightly teased Olivia with the detective's own words.

Olivia's eyes snapped back up to Alex's and she unashamedly grinned again. "Purely," Olivia replied, knowing Alex was seeing right through her but also knowing it really didn't matter. She then reached for Alex's pants and helped the attorney slide them, along with her underwear, down slim hips and off, as well. When she stood back up, she swallowed hard and had to consciously keep herself from staring again; seeing her girlfriend not just naked but lit only by the warm dancing lights of the candles was somehow even sexier than she had anticipated.

But, again, it still wasn't time for that, not yet, not quite yet. This was for Alex, it really was. So Olivia managed to control herself and tear her eyes away, turning around to check the temperature of the bathwater. Finding it sufficiently heated, she reached for the tap again, this time turning the water off.

She then turned back to Alex and offered her hand, silently helping the blonde into the tub and getting her settled into the water, a quiet moan escaping from Alex's mouth and her eyes sliding shut as the glorious warmth enveloped her worn body.

Olivia smiled at the sound of contented pleasure and at the way Alex's face when so instantly lax. She picked up a small bottle and added another dollop of bubble mixture to the tub before leaning over and placing a chaste but lingering kiss Alex's forehead. "I'm going to finish up a few things in the kitchen," she said quietly, "You just enjoy your bath for a while and don't worry about a thing. I'll come back in a few to get you, okay?"

Now, with the way Olivia had been looking at her earlier, with her obvious playfulness and suggestiveness, Alex hadn't expected for Olivia to leave, and with the different kind of warmth that Olivia's looks and actions had started low in her belly, Alex wasn't sure she wanted the detective to. However, Alex reasoned, this bath did feel fantastic, and just soaking in it a while was quite appealing. And with Olivia's promise to return... Yes, yes this could work, mhm, this could work just fine.

"Hmmmm," Alex finally managed to hum her response as her eyes remained shut and she slid even further down into the water, clearly already beginning to follow Olivia's instructions to enjoy herself and not worry about a thing.

Olivia just smiled to herself again and quietly left.

It was just over fifteen minutes later that Olivia slipped back into the bathroom to find Alex pretty much exactly as she'd left her, body still concealed under a layer of bubbles, head still tipped back, eyes still closed, face still lax though perhaps a bit more flush than earlier. In any case, the picture of relaxation.

The detective grabbed a towel and folded it several times before placing it on the floor next to the tub and kneeling on it. Alex's eyebrows moved up a little and her eyes shifted under closed lids, indicating she was aware of Olivia's presence but also that she was far too languid to give any further verbal or physical acknowledgement of it.

Olivia dipped her fingers in the water, finding it still quite warm; Alex must have replenished the hot water once or twice. She moved her fingers back and forth, skimming the surface of the water before moving them deeper, finding Alex's thigh not too far below and running her fingers along it before finally speaking, keeping her voice soft, not wanting to disturb the quiet and calm atmosphere of the room, "How are you feeling?"

A small but unmistakable smile found its way to Alex's lips and she let out another contented hum.

"I'll take that to mean you're feeling better," Olivia spoke again softly while still running her fingers along the blonde's leg under the water, waiting for Alex to make the next move, to indicate exactly how she wanted thing to go next.

And she didn't have to wait long. Alex swallowed and then, with her eyes still closed, spoke, responding to Olivia's statement with a quiet, low, "Yes. A bit better. However..." her voice trailed off.

"However...?" Olivia prompted when Alex didn't continue.

Alex finally cracked her eyes open and peered over at Olivia, "Well, I feel a bit better, but I was thinking I could feel a whole lot better..." she arched an eyebrow just so, hoping, believing, knowing the detective would get her meaning.

Olivia did. She arched an eyebrow of her own and let her fingers wander higher and further inwards on Alex's thigh, "You could, could you?"

Alex swallowed again and moved her legs slightly apart under the water, tilting her hips up, shifting her body minutely, giving Olivia better access, making her meaning abundantly clear if it wasn't already, "I could."

Olivia's gaze darkened as she continued holding Alex's steady, "I was hoping you'd say something like that," she murmured as her fingers moved just enough higher and just enough further inwards to find and make contact with Alex's center.

Alex's eyes narrowed and dilated but remained open and she let out a quiet gasp at that first fleeting touch.

Olivia smiled at the reaction and began to gently explore Alex's flesh, lightly dipping into her core, finding heat, finding moisture. "You're wet," she observed quietly, still looking into Alex's eyes.

Alex knew Olivia wasn't just talking about the bathwater, knew her own personal moisture was also present, and knew that's what Olivia was feeling and referring to. A second quiet gasp and a sharpening of her gaze was Alex's only acknowledgement.

But that was enough. Olivia ran her fingers up and down Alex's pussy then, enjoying how the movement was hidden below the bubbles, enjoying the slickness under the water, enjoying watching the attorney struggle to maintain their eye contact against the building sensations. Olivia's lip twitched up as she followed up on her previous observation. "Is that because you were thinking of me? Is that why you're so wet?" she asked in a hushed voice as she halted the up and down movement of her fingers in favor of teasing right at Alex's opening, swirling a lone finger around the blonde's entrance.

Alex inhaled at the new sensation and at Olivia's question, a question they both knew the answer to. "Yes," she answered in just as hushed a voice, though both still easily heard it in the otherwise silence of the bathroom.

Olivia pushed down her own body's response to Alex's answer and pressed on, "Thinking about me coming in here and 'making you feel better'?" she asked softly while adding a second finger to the first, both now lightly circling Alex's entrance but neither quite pushing in.

Alex's eyelids drooped perceptibly and she gritted her teeth, tilting her hips marginally further in an unspoken request, hoping that was enough of an answer but knowing it wouldn't be. So when it was clear that Olivia wasn't going to oblige that unspoken request, she answered the detective's question on a whisper, "Yes."

"Mmmm," Olivia hummed deep in her chest as she drew both fingers up through Alex's wetness and over her tip, before moving them back down again, "And also thinking about what I might do to you later after dinner, perhaps?" she questioned further.

Alex legs jumped at the pulse of sensation Olivia's fingers brushing over her clit had caused, and at the continued accuracy of Olivia's probing questions and probing gaze. And she could do nothing but gasp out her answer, "Yes."

Olivia then placed her fingers right at Alex's opening again, swirling them slowly, offering hope, offering a promise. "And when you were thinking of me," she broke eye contact momentarily to look up and then reach up with her free hand to move a piece of hair from Alex's forehead, tucking it behind the blonde's ear, "When you were imagining what I'd do," she brought her eyes back down to lock them once again with Alex's, "Tell me, sweetie," her voice just above a whisper, "Did you touch yourself?"

Alex's breath caught and her stomach tightened. She bit her lip and struggled, god struggled to keep her eyes open and on Olivia, and struggled to suppress the blush she knew was rising up her chest and up her neck as she answered, barely audible this time, but entirely truthful, "Yes."

And with that answer, Olivia didn't delay any longer, pushing two fingers into the attorney as far as she could, filling her, swiftly and fully.

Alex lost her struggle then, as Olivia knew she would, the attorney's eyes finally fluttering closed as she brought both arms up out of the water to grip either side of the tub and rocked her head back, her neck and spine arching slightly, bringing her breasts partially out of the water, exposing the very tips of them, showing them to be flush and puckered.

Olivia withdrew almost entirely from Alex's body before pushing fully back in again, scissoring her fingers within the blonde, twisting her wrist as she did, then repeating the motion, pulling out and going in and pulling out and going in again, the rhythm setting up gentle waves in the tub and drawing another quiet moan from the attorney.

But though Olivia was greatly enjoying giving Alex these pleasures, greatly enjoying just watching Alex accept them, she wasn't quite done with her questions yet. So she leaned in, bringing her face closer to Alex's face, bringing her lips to Alex's ear, asking her next question just above a whisper, "And while you were touching yourself," Olivia withdrew her fingers again, pulling them out and dragging them once more up through Alex's folds and right over her clit again, before pushing them back down and back in, "While you were thinking about me," Olivia explored the top wall of Alex's sex, looking for those sensitive ridges she knew were there and, finding them, paused, knowing she had the blonde's completely attention, "Did you make yourself come?" she pressed up firmly.

A small strangled sound escaped Alex's throat and her mouth dropped open, all of her muscles coiling at the sensations caused by the well placed and measured pressure of Olivia's fingers. And it wasn't until Olivia relieved that pressure just a few all too brief moments later that Alex was able to answer, breathily, a little bit desperately, on an almost half-sob, "No."

Oh, how fucking delicious.

Though Olivia's body was definitely reacting to that answer and to the tone in which it was delivered, her only verbal response was a mostly steady, "I see," as she resumed her slow but steady pace and pattern of twisting movements, pushing her fingers into the blonde, widening them as much as she could, and drawing them back out, "So that's why you're so keyed up, hm?"

Alex bit her lip against the continued and varied sensations, hands gripping a little harder on either side of the tub as she nodded her answer as best she could, actual verbalizations becoming harder and harder.

Olivia just smiled to herself, absolutely loving that Alex had waited for her, loving that the attorney had probably brought herself quite close to the brink but held off, loving the knowledge that Alex had wanted that last little push to come from Olivia. And Olivia didn't intend to make her wait too long for it, but she did intend to make her wait a little bit longer. For there was one more thing she wanted to know before this was over, one more bit of information she needed, needed in order to help her plan their...later activities.

So she took a breath and then spoke again. "Tell me what you thought about," Olivia said quietly, no longer asking but rather lightly demanding, as she once again pressed up into the top wall of Alex's sex, not as hard as before, but this time adding a tiny amount of movement instead, "Tell me what you'd imagined about tonight."

Alex ground her hips down under the water as best she could, trying to maximize the sensation of Olivia's fingers inside her, trying to increase and maximize those sensations, trying to reach that edge she had denied herself earlier, telling herself she'd waiting long enough, feeling as though she deserved it, focusing mostly on what Olivia was doing and not so much on what she was saying, responding only with an ever increasing desperation, "Olivia... Liv..."

But Olivia forced Alex's attention back to her words, gently easing the attorney away from the precipice by removing her fingers from within Alex's core to once again trail them up and down the length of Alex's pussy, coating the already warm and slick flesh with even warmer and slicker fluid. "One thing, sweetie," she repeated her earlier request, encouraging the attorney, the detective's voice and actions coaxing the answer from her, "Just tell me one thing you imagined for tonight."

Alex groaned at the withdrawal of Olivia fingers from within her, unconsciously moving her hips in an attempt to recapture them. However, though the absence of Olivia's fingers may have decreased the physical sensations, the attorney's pussy still pulsed and clenched with the images that were now flashing through her head; images she'd fantasized about earlier, and ones she knew might just play out later if only she could speak them out loud. And it was those images and that possibility that kept her arousal levels just as high as they had been moments before if not higher.

"You ..." Alex's breath caught when Olivia's fingers entered her one more time with a quick, sure thrust. But she was determined now to give voice to those images, determined to tell Olivia what the detective wanted to know, "You used," she repeated and continued when her breath returned, "You used the handcuffs," she finally gasped out, feeling herself blushing slightly at the admission but no longer really caring.

Olivia's smile just widened as her own pussy pulsed and clenched. "I see," she repeated her earlier words, responding as calmly as she could, though she could hear the arousal in her own voice. And why wouldn't she be aroused? For they hadn't gotten out the cuffs in some time, but given Alex's day, a day full of the attorney having to make decisions, and a day full of the attorney probably feeling like she was continually making the wrong decisions, it wasn't all that surprising, Olivia supposed, that Alex just wanted to hand over the decision making for the night to someone else. To let go. To truly let go. To truly just let everything go.

And so Olivia went with it.

The detective removed her fingers from Alex again and purposefully moved them to the top of the attorney's sex, focusing their full attention on that small little treasure that resided there, that collection of nerve endings that were so straining, so wanting for that attention. "Did I use some of our other toys, too?" Olivia inquired softly, gently, almost mesmerizingly, following up on Alex's previous confession as she began so very lightly rubbing back and forth over Alex's exposed clit with the pad of her middle finger, the sensation making the attorney twitch and drawing a gasp from her.

But though it was phrased as a question, Olivia was no longer really expecting any answers from the so on edge woman in the tub. And not getting one other than the twitch and gasp, Olivia pressed forward physically without one, increasing the speed and pressure of her finger just a little, just a bit over Alex's clit, feeling Alex's lower abs tighten, seeing Alex's grip tighten on the tub edges, knowing Alex's whole body was tightening. And also pressed forward verbally, speculating out loud as to just what toys Alex may have been thinking about, "Perhaps something for these," Olivia dropped her free hand just the water, caressing one of Alex's breasts before moving to the other and tweaking the nipple, making it quite clear what she was referring to.

Alex moaned and arched into the touch, bringing her chest just out of the water, again small bits of soapy bubbles clinging to and running off pale skin, exposing hard, pink, excited peaks.

She then collapsed back into the tub when Olivia briefly stopped her attentions on Alex clit in order to enter the attorney's core one more time with two fingers, wiggling those fingers back and forth, moving them within their cocoon, as the detective said, still quietly, still gently, still mesmerizingly, her tone so very much in counterpoint to her words and their implications, "And certainly something for this."

Alex gasped again and swiveled her hips, god she was so close, she was so fucking close. She'd been close before Olivia had returned to the bathroom and started on her, her own hand had seen to that, and even though all of the detective's movements and attentions to this point had been, for the most part, slow and soft, the purposefulness of those movements and attentions, combined with Olivia's tone and combined with the imagery of her words, god, had kept Alex right on that edge and even driven her closer. And it wouldn't take much, it wouldn't take much, it really wouldn't take much to send her flying over the edge.

And Olivia could tell. The look of concentration on Alex's face, the quickness and shallowness of her breathing, the slight shaking of her arms, yes, Olivia could tell.

She leaned over and gave Alex a kiss on the forehead, a gentle caress, "Did I tease you?" she asked as she drew her fingers one final time to the top of Alex's sex, determined now to give her lover what she wanted, what she needed, rubbing back and forth over Alex's clit with a lone finger, lightly, slowly, building.

Alex's breath hitched, reaching for the end. She nodded.

"A lot?" Olivia asked again, upping her speed, her concentrated movements still small but oh so effective, driving Alex, increasing, higher.

Alex struggled, strained, nodded.

"How much, baby? How much did I tease you?"

Alex was barely breathing any more, frown fully formed between her eyes, shoulders and chest tight, so ready to let go. But she wanted to hold on, hold off, deny herself, just for a moment, just one more moment, just long enough to give Olivia this one last answer. She summoned all her energy and concentration, managing to open her eyes, focusing them right on Olivia's, having no trouble finding them even in the dim light of the room, clear, intense, sure, "Until I begged."

This time it was Olivia's breath that caught momentarily and she stopped the movement of her finger, holding completely still, returning Alex's stare and exchanging understanding within it. Then a slow smile curled on her lips and she leaned in again, "You might regret saying that," she whispered, she promised, against Alex's lips before capturing them with her own and resuming the motion of her finger, faster, quicker, a little harder, a bit more, just right, no more holding back, right there, no more holding off, yes, no more denying it, ...yes!

Olivia pulled back to watch when she felt Alex's body tighten and freeze. The attorney's mouth fell open wide in a silent plea, her back arched exposing her breasts once more, one knee lifted out of the water and held, her body shaking silently as the waves of pleasure coursed through her and the resulting waves of water crashed against the sides of the tub, all of it helped along and prolonged by Olivia's continued pressure and movement over the attorney's now spasming clit.

Finally, finally, long moments later, Alex let out a gasp and all her muscles released. Olivia slowed and eased the movement of her finger as Alex's chest and leg dropped back into the water, and she stopped those movements entirely as the attorney's hands opened their grip and went limp, the last bit of tension leaving Alex's body as it slumped back into the tub.

Olivia then removed her fingers entirely, slowly and gently withdrawing them from Alex's body. And in the quiet of the aftermath, Alex's breathing the only sound to be heard, Olivia leaned forward one last time and placed a gentle kiss on Alex's open lips before straightening back up and just waiting for Alex to recover.

When Alex did finally open her eyes it was to find Olivia smiling tenderly down at her. The detective favored Alex with a gentle kiss before pulling back again. "Feeling better now?" Olivia asked teasingly but tenderly as she lovingly ran a finger down the side of Alex's face.

Alex couldn't help but let her eyes slide shut again and chuckle, letting the comforts of the still warm water, of the memories and aftershocks of what had just happened, and of Olivia's presence and caring wash over and envelop her. "Yes, I am," she replied still smiling blissfully.

"Good," the detective said as she patiently stroked Alex's hair, letting the blonde continue to bask in the afterglow for a few more minutes. But Olivia knew they couldn't stay there forever. With each passing moment, the water got cooler as did dinner. Not to mention the fact that the detective's knees, cushioned as they were, were still beginning to get rather tired and sore. Olivia leaned over to place one more kiss on Alex's forehead before pushing herself off the floor, standing and turning to retrieve a towel off a rack.

Alex felt and heard Olivia's movements and knew what they meant. She, too, knew she couldn't stay in the tub forever, but that didn't stop her from wanting to. "Do I have to get out?" Olivia heard Alex whine from behind her.

"I'm afraid so, sweetie, or you're going to turn into a prune!" Olivia replied sympathetically, spreading and opening the towel for Alex, who was grudgingly but slowly rising from the tub and stepping out. "Besides," Olivia reasoned as she wrapped the towel around her girlfriend and pulled the ends closed around her body, "We need to eat some dinner. Get some energy into us so we can, you know," Olivia gave Alex a playful look, waggling her eyebrows a little, "Get on with our after dinner plans."

Alex laughed at Olivia's expression but then leaned forward into Olivia's body to give the detective a sound kiss, not one of arousal or sex or desire, but one of gratitude and love, a kiss which the detective more than happily returned. When they pulled back, Olivia put both arms around Alex and just held her silently and tightly as she had when Alex had first arrived home that night.

Finally, after a few moments, Olivia spoke again, saying quietly, "And if it turns out you're just too tired or not up for it tonight, that you'd rather just veg out in front of the TV, instead, that's okay, too." She pulled back so she could look at Alex, finishing her thought sincerely and promisingly, "I mean, the weekend is just two days away, so we can delay our 'other plans' until then if you want."

Alex exhaled and just closed her eyes, leaning forward again, this time bringing their foreheads together. God, but Olivia just knew her so damn well. Alex tilted her head back just enough to give Olivia another tender kiss. "Thank you," she breathed, knowing there were no words to express how she felt, but trying anyway, "For everything."

Olivia gave Alex one more tight squeeze and then pulled back and smiled tenderly, "My pleasure." She then gave Alex one more quick peck before releasing the blonde entirely and backing away towards the door. "I'm going to put the finishing touches on dinner. Take as much time as you want."

Alex could do nothing but just smile her gratitude again. But just as Olivia was leaving she remembered something. "Oh, Olivia."

Olivia stopped and turned back to Alex.

"When you get a chance, also thank Serena," Alex started to smirk just a little, "I mean, thank 'your little birdie' for me, too."

Olivia didn't bother feigning ignorance. She just smiled and nodded, "I will," then left, pulling the door only partially closed behind her.

Alex dried herself off and slipped into the sweatpants, oversized sweatshirt, and thick socks Olivia had put for her on the toilet seat. The bath, the new scents wafting in from the kitchen, the orgasm, the woman who gave it to her, the promise for this weekend, all of it, it came together and combined to pretty much erase from her mind everything that had happened before her arrival home that night. Which, she knew, was the point.

And as she slipped on dry, warm clothes over a sated and far more relaxed body and mind than just 30 minutes ago, she realized that, yes, she might have bad days, but over all, in the end, she had a pretty damn good life.